Woodall Rail Trail breaks ground as first segment of Silver Comet Connector
Construction of a new trail, which will be the first segment connecting the Silver Comet to the BeltLine, started this week.
The Woodall Rail Trail will run 0.7 miles and provide safe walking and biking infrastructure in a neighborhood lacking sidewalks and greenspace.
The Silver Comet Trail, which runs through Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties and connects to the Chief Ladiga Trail in Alabama, totals 94.5 miles.
Elizabeth Hollister, the executive director of the Upper Westside Community Improvement District, said there has been considerable demand for alternative transportation in the area, and this project will help address it.
The project also will preserve nature in the city and allows the public to “experience the outdoors right around some pretty dense urban growth,” Hollister said.
The trail begins at the future Northwest Beltline connection at Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard and Elaine Avenue. It continues north to the intersection of Chattahoochee Avenue and Chattahoochee Row at The Works—also passing popular spots in the area like Topgolf Atlanta.
The trail also follows along Woodall Creek.
The trail is expected to open by early 2025.
The trail is funded by grants from the Department of Natural Resources and project partners Groundwork Atlanta, PATH Foundation and the Upper Westside Community Improvement District.
About the Author
Jillian Price covers local news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin. She joined the AJC in 2022 and mainly covers Gwinnett County cities.
